Steam-separating trap.



In. 634,659. Patented Oct. l0, i899. J. R. COX, W. H. REYNSLDS & G. H. WRIGHT. STEAM` SEPRATHIG TRAP.

(Application led Im. 31, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet L N0. 634,659. A Patenfed Oci I0,A i899.` LH. COX, W. H BEYNOL'DS 8. E. H. WRIGHT.

STEAM SEPABATING TRAP.

(Application filed Jan. 31, 1899,)

' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(No Modei.)

, Steam-Separating Trap, of which( the follow-y UITEDSTATES- i PATENT rricn.

JOI-IN R. COX, wrLLIAM H. RnYNOLDs,AND GEORGE n. WRIGHT, or -GALvns'rOm TEXAS. v v

STEAM-SEPRATING Tinte I SPECIFICATION formingxpart of IiettersiPatent No. 634,659, dated October 10, 1899. i applicati@ tie'ranuary 31,1899. 'semina 704,017. camada.;

LIAM H. REYNOLDS, and GEORGE H. WRIGHr,

citizens of the United States, residing at Galveston, in the county of Galveston and State of'Texas, have invented a new and useful ing is a speci'iication. l

This invention v relates to an improved steam-separating trap or steam-eliminator for securing apsupply of dry steam to an engine or like machinery; and ithas for its object to provide an apparatus of this characterhaving simple and efficient meansfor eliminating water,entrained moisture, grease, or other lmpurities from steam at any pressure and automatically discharging the water of coni densation and otherimpurities, While at the Y same time permitting the steam to pass in a thoroughly-dried condition tothe point of use. v I. d

Tothisend the invention'primarily. contemplates certain improvements in the construction of the` steam-separating trap covered in the pending application, Serial No,

-676,4=20,filed April 4, l898,and.l1as in View improved means forpcontrolling the valves which cooperate with theA float to provide for an automatic dischargejof theaccumulated water of condensationandA other impurities. o With these and other Objects in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the Y same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed. Y

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical v'sectional view of a steam-separating trap'embodying the improvements'y contemplated by the present invention and showingthe positions of the various parts when the trap is at rest and water accumulating withinthe bucket-doet. Fig.`2 is a similar view of the lower portion of the trap, showing the positionsy ot' the various parts whenthe trap is exhausting through the siphon dischargepipe. Fig. d is an enlarged `detail sectional view of the `valve-case fitting for the discharge-pipe and the discharge-valve and piston arranged therein. ,l

o Referring to the accompanying drawings,

,the numeral 1 designatesthe upright trapcasing, preferably consisting of the upper and lowernsectious 2 and 3, iianged and bolted together at their contiguous edges, and said casing is provided near the top thereof with the oppOsitely-located steam inlet and outlet.

necks 4 and 5, respectively, which are adapted to have'coupled thereto the line of piping carrying the Hsupplyot' steam to be subjected to the separating action'ot the trap. A vertically-arranged bafile-plate G is vfitted within the upper portion of the casing between the steam inlets and Outlets di and 5 and termiv nates short of the casing-top, said battle-,plate beingrprovided at its lower end with a lateral outwardly and downwardly inclined ange 7,

@which terminates short of the adjacent wallv of the casingto provide a passage for the water of condensation. yThe battle-plate 6 forms no part of the presentinventiou,as'the same is fully disclosed in the pendingapplicatiou hereinbefore referred to; but-saidI plate cooperates with thebucket-tloat S, arranged to work within VAthe lower portion' of the'casing, by intercepting the moisture-laden steam entering'the inlet 4 and causing the moisture contained in the steam to becondensed,'sepa rated therefrom, and deflected downward into the bucket-float 8, while thedrysteam is permitted to pass over the upper end of the bafile-plate and thence through the outlet 5.

In theA use ofthe trap the Ylower or bottom portionrof the casing 1, which constitutes the water-chamber of the apparatus, lis designed to hold sufticient water to vbuoy up or float the bucket 8 when the latter is empty, and at any tin'ne- `shouldit be desired Ito draw off the water fronithe bottom of the easing and blow out the accumulated sediment this may be accomplished by opening the valve 9 ot the drain-pipe 1 0, fitted to the bottom head of the trap-casing and communicatingwith the interior thereof; but, as already stated,there is normally sufficient water in the bottom of the trap-casing to buoy up Or float the bucket S.

To provide for automatically removing the accumulations of water within the bucketfloat 8 from tirnato time, there is employed a siphon discharge-pipe 11, arranged exterior IOO to the trap-casing and provided with an in- .terior pendent inlet-limb 12, arranged wholly Within the trap-casing and extending within the bucket-float S to a point in close proxim- .ity to the bottom of the bucket, whereby only let end thereof the valve-case fitting 13 is formed with a valve-chamber 15, having an annular beveled valve-seat 16 and housing therein a discharge-valve 17. The dischargevalve 17 is provided with a beveled face 1S, adapted to register with the valve-seat 16, and upon theside opposite said beveled face with a plurality of offstanding spacing-lugs 19, which are adapted to abut against the contiguous end of the discharge-piping to space the valve therefrom when the water is discharging through the valve-chamber 15 and into the outlet-neck 14 of the valve-case tting. The valve-case fitting 13 is provided at one side of the valve-chamber 15 with a central longitudinal guide-bore 2O in communication with the outlet-neck 14 and receiving therein the elongated winged guidestem 2l, `projected from one side of the discharge-Valve 17, and normally one end of the guide-stem of the discharge-valve 17 projects into the steam-chamber or steam-cylinder 22,

projected from the end of the valve-case 13' opposite the valve-chamber 15 and of a greater diameterthan said valve-chamber 15. The steam chamber or cylinder 22 loosely receives for lreciprocation therein the piston 23, provided with a longitudinal relief-port 24, extending from end to end thereof and also provided at one end with a stop projection 25, adapted to strike against the outer end of the steam chamber or cylinder to limit the outward movement of the piston.

rlhe steam chamber or cylinder containing the piston 23 has coupled thereto near its outer end one end of a steam-pipe 26, the other end of which pipe extends within the trap-casing 1 above the plane of' the bucket- Atloat'S and is provided within the trap-casing with an upwardly-disposed extension 27, having a valve-seat 2S, adapted to receive the steam-controlling valve 29. The steam-controlling valve 29 has connected thereto one end of an adjusting-lever 30, pivotally supported at a point between its ends, as at 3l,

and pivotally connected at the end opposite the valve 29 to a stem 32, projected from the bucket-float 8 and rigidly fastened thereto. Normally when the bucket-float 8 is empty and buoyed up by the Water Within the bottom part of the trap-casing the adjusting-lcver 30 is tilted in a direction which necessarily closes the steam-controlling valve 29, and thereby cuts off communication through the steam-pipe 26, so that the internal steampressure within the trap-casing Will exert its force against the discharge-valve 17 and close said valve against its seat 16, thus cutting oit the flow of Water through the Siphon dischargepipe and permitting the water of condensation to accumulate in the bucket-iioat. Now as the bucket becomes iilled or partially filled with the water of condensation the same sinks within the water .in the bottom part of the trap-casing, and thereby oscillates the adjusting-lever 30 in a direction which causes' the steam-controlling valve 29 to open and permit the steam under full pressure to pass through the steam-pipe 26 and exert its force against the outer side of the piston 23. The piston 23, being of a greater area than the discharge-valve 17, Will unseat the latter, and thereby open up communication through the discharge-pipe 11 and allow the accumulated water to be blown out through said pipe by the internal pressure of steam Within the trapcasing. When the bucket has been relieved of the weight of accumulated Water, the same again rises and closes the valve 29, thus relieving the piston 23 from steam-pressure and allowing the internal pressure of steam to exert its force against the discharge-valve and close the latter until the bucket has again lled and the operation described repeats itself.

In connection with the operation of the piston and the discharge-valve it may be observed at this point that by reason of the internal pressure of steam normally seating the .discharge-valve and being relieved from the piston 23 there can be no 4leak through the piston, as might be possible with the const ruction shownin the pending application referred to, as in the latter construction there is a pressure of steam exerted against both the valve and the piston-at all times.`

In order that the apparatus may be inspected and controlled at any time desired, the discharge-pipe between the valve-case 13 and the trap-'casing is provided with a globe or cut-oit valve 33 and the steam-pipe 26 is also provided with a similar valve 34, and in order to permit of the water being blown out of the bucket at any time desired the auxiliary steam-pipe 35 is broughtinto play. This pipe connects the interior of the trap-casing with the outer portion of the steam chamber or cylinder 22 and is provided with a cut-off or globe valve 3G, and in connection with t-he operation of the piston 23 it is to be noted that the longitudinal relief-port 24 thereof relieves the piston of back pressure by providing communication between the ou ter portion of the steam-chamberand the outlet-neck 14 when the bucket S rises and closes the controllingvalve 29, so that the internal pressu re will seat the valve 17.

Changes in form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to ICO IIO

Without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of thisinvention.

Having thus described the invention, what isxclaimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a steam-separating trap, the combination of the casing, a float arranged in the lower portion of the casing, a discharge-pipe communicating with the interior ofthe trapcasing, a valve-case iitting applied to the discharge-pipe, a discharge-valve and a piston mounted Within separate portions of the valve-case fitting and arranged in contiguous contacting relation, a steam-pipe connected at one end with the valve-case fitting at one side of the piston therein, and having its other end connected with the trap-casing, a steam-controlling valve applied to the inner or receiving end of the steam-pipe, and an adjusting connection between said valve and the float, said adjusting connection being arranged to provide for closing the steam-controlling valve when the float is in its elevated position, substantially as set forth.

2. In a steam-separating trap, the combi- Y nation of the casing a siphon discharge-pipe communicating with the interior of the trapcasing, a valve-case fitting applied to the discharge-pipe and provided at one end with a valve-chamber, an enlarged steam-chamber at the end opposite the valve-chamber, and an intermediate guide-bore,a discharge-valve arranged Within the valve-chamber and provided with a stem extended through said guide-bore, a piston of a greater area than the discharge-valve mounted `within said steam-chamber, a steam-pipe connecting said steam-chamber of the valve-case fitting with the trap-casing, a valve applied to the inner or receiving end of the said steam-pipe and float-controlled means for normally cutting ott the supply of steam from said steam-pipe, said means being adj ustably connected to the latter valve, substantially as set forth.

3. In a steam-separating trap, the combi nation of the casing, a discharge-pipe communicating With the interior of the trap-casing, a valve-case fitting applied tothe discharge-pipe and provided at one end with al valve-chamber, an enlarged steam-chamber at the opposite end,and an intermediate guide bore, a discharge-valve arranged Within the valve-chamber and provided with a stem eX- tendedthrough said guide-bore, a piston of greater area than the discharge-valve mounted Within said steam-chamber, said piston being provided with a lon gitudinalrelief-port, a steam-pipe connecting said steam-chamber of the valve-case ittin g with the trap-casing, Heat-controlled means for normallyr cutting off the supply of steam from said steam-pipe, and a valved auxiliary steam-pipe connecting said steam-chamber of the valve-case fitting with the trap-casing, substantially as set forth. v

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our own We have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN R. COX. WILLIAM H. REYNOLDS. GEO. H. WRIGHT.

Witnesses: v

JAMES S. MONTGOMERY, PHIL FROST. 

